Turkey Trip: Expenses, Surprises and What I would do differently

While I’ve wrapped up my Turkey blogs on where I traveled, how I traveled, what I saw and how to be an ace traveler, I still need to answer some questions that I received from readers on expense break-up, surprises and what I would differently. I hope my answers will give you better insights while making your plans. 

Expenses: I had no idea what it would cost when I made my plan for Turkey but I was prepared to spend upto anywhere around 1,50,000 INR (2000 USD). Did I manage to save up for another vacation at the end of the trip? 

Airfare: I got a fantastic deal on Kuwait Airways (25,000 INR or 350 USD for a round trip) from Bangalore. Kuwait Airways is a no frill airline with enough leg space, decent meals, luggage allowance and flies in the shortest time compared to other airlines (including layover). Remember, Kuwait Airways doesn’t serve alcohol on board and therefore no nuisance from drunkards.  

Stays: Instead of staying at fancy hotels that offer very little practical convenience, I decided to stay in Airbnbs, where I could cook my meal and wash my clothes. I spent 20,000 INR (280 USD) for 14 nights in various cities and additionally saved from eating at home and doing my laundry.

Travel: Air travel between cities in Turkey is cheap and quick. I took 3 flights (Istanbul to Denizili, Izmir to Kayseri and Kayseri to Istanbul) and spent 10,000 INR (140 USD). Pegasus airlines offer much cheaper flights compared to Turkish Airlines. Also, I took public transport everywhere saving more on cost but not safety or convenience. I spent 1500 TL (20,000 INR or 300 USD) to get around cities and take short distance buses between cities and to and fro airports.

Lodging expenses: Especially, when traveling to a food paradise should we budget? Rather than spending on expensive breakfast, I went to the market and shopped for fresh fruits, coffee, bread, jelly and yogurt for breakfast. For less than 30 TL you find lip smacking options for vegetarians and meat-lovers in Turkey. On the nights that I got bored with restaurant meal, I picked some local wine to pair up with dinner I made at home (pasta, noodles, etc.). I spent 1000 TL on food (12,000 INR or 180 USD).

Access fees: All the monuments that I visited except (Virgin Mary’s house) were all heritage sites and on UNESCO list. And a lot of money is spent to keep them in good shape and accessible to those in wheelchairs. So, I don’t feel bad about spending towards access fees. Wherever possible I bought a combo pass to make it economical and cut down on waiting time in queues. I spent about 1000 TL towards access fees (12,000 INR or 180 USD).

Miscellaneous: Turkey is famous for so many things (teas, dried fruits, cotton clothes, delights, hammams) and you always want to take home something special for your loved ones without spending too much. Before every purchased any item, I went to Amazon and looked for prices back in India. Only when I was convinced there was an arbitrage opportunity, I got something. Also, I haggled with shopkeepers and went to places where the locals shopped. I blew 1200 TL (15,000 INR or 220 USD) on my retail therapy.

Here is the break-up (all amounts in INR):

Airfare to and fro India – 25,000

e-Visa – 3,200

Medical insurance – 1,300

Travel within Turkey – 20,000

Accommodation – 20,000

Food – 12,000

Access fees – 12,000

Shopping – 15,000

Wifi - 7,000

Total = 1,15,500 (1,500 USD)

Hot air balloon is extra and costs anywhere between 150-300 USD depending on demand and how well in advance you book. So, early bird gets the worm. 

Eight things that surprised me the most

1.       Pothole free roads

2.       Amazing last mile connectivity and most tourist friendly country I’ve ever visited

3.       Here a cat, there a cat, everywhere a stray cat

4.       Amazing food options for vegetarians

5.       Shopkeepers strike a conversation with buyers engage and sell

6.       Haggling is accepted and welcomed

7.       Shah Rukh Khan and Amir Khan being famous

8.       Turkish airline staff put me on an earlier flight into a more convenient airport in Istanbul without charging extra

Five things that surprised me the least

1.       No app-based cab service

2.       Taxi drivers trying to fleece

3.       Tour agents trying to put pressure and getting you to spend

4.       Vendors on carts selling near monuments

5.       Loudspeakers howling prayer calls 5 times a day

Five things I’ll do differently if I were to travel again

1.       Stay with a Turkish family

2.       Spend a day less in Pamukkale and Cappadocia and visit Konya or mountains in the eastern side  (but that would make the trip hectic)

3.       Try a cruise on Aegean Sea (definitely next time)

4.       Travel to islands around Istanbul (Princess Islands)

5.       Take the high-speed trains (trains are slower than buses :-))

I hope my experiences and insights will help you be an ace-traveler. If you still have any questions, write to me or leave a comment below.

Happy Turkeying.

5Cs why Turkey should feature high on your vacation list

We live in “experience age” where ownership takes the back seat. Everyone from youngsters to oldies want to travel, experience the world and update their Instagram with images capable of seeding desire and inducing jealousy among followers and travelers. Today, I list down 5 reasons why Turkey should feature high on your vacation list.

Culture
Turkey enjoys a unique geographic position as it partly lies in Asia and Europe making it culturally vibrant, diverse and heterogenous. It is truly multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. You cannot find any other country in the world that is as diverse and amalgamating the best of both East and West. May be this was also the reason why Hittites, Romans, Christians, and Ottomans made it their home enriching the land, culture, and people. UNESCO has tagged 100s places as heritage sites and archeologist continue to discover new sites every day that pre-dates Hittites. Lastly, did you know Turkish and Hindi share more than 150 words?

Cuisine
Proximity to Mediterranean Sea and its climate has a great influence on Turkish cuisine. From hunger arousing breads (simit), mindboggling cheeses (100s of varieties of which 8 are GI tagged), colorful salads garnished with nuts and olive oil, fruits (olives, berries, fig, apple and pomegranate) to sweetmeats (Delights, Baklavas, Dondurma). If you would like to stick to local cuisine, then there is lentil Corba, Shawarma and Kunefe followed by Apple or Pomegranate tea. There is a lot for vegetarians too in this country. In short, it is a culinary paradise for epicureans.

Climate
Turkey enjoys bountiful blessings from mother nature. It has beautiful coastlines, lofty peaks, dormant volcanoes, flat plains and valleys enriching its flora and fauna. Their breathtaking beaches along Aegean Sea, Sea of Marmara and the Mediterranean makes it a great getaway location for many Europeans who want to escape frigid winters. Mountains closer to the coast prevent maritime influences from extending inland, giving the central Anatolian plateau of the interior of Turkey a continental climate with sharply contrasting seasons. The eastern part of Turkey is the wettest (2500 mm of annual rainfall), while Anatolian plans are the driest (300 mm of annual rainfall). Read this link for more information on the seasons to plan your visit.

Connectivity
From time immemorial Turkey has enjoyed amazing connectivity with both the East and West. That explains why the Greeks, Romans and Persians Kings made a beeline. The newly opened airport at Istanbul records a touchdown and takeoff every 74 seconds and is being expanded to handle over 200mn tourists a year by 2023. Cruise in the Mediterranean, high-speed trains between big cities, dense bus network connecting smaller and bigger cities and last mile connectivity in cities ensure tourists can move around with ease to enjoy the beauty of the country. India is light years behind when it comes to high-speed trains and last mile connectivity. It is easier and delightful to travel in Turkey than in India.

Currency
Unlike Euro, Dollar, Yen, SGD, AUD or Kronas the Turkish Lira (TL) is very much affordable. Recently, the fall of TL has made it an affordable destination of Indians too. 1 TL is approximately 12.5 rupees making it one of the cheapest countries for Indians to visit, while providing better experience of history than Singapore, Australia, US, and UK. If you avoid peak seasons when Europeans visit (Apr – Aug) and winters (Dec - Mar) and stay in Airbnbs’, you can do a comfortable vacation under INR 100,000/person (inclusive of air tickets).

If you're still not convinced, its okay. In the upcoming blogs, I’ll share more information on how to travel safe and cheap in Turkey, and draw parallels to monuments and places in our country, something that is not available in any of the guidebooks. Hopefully, that should convince you to book your tickets.